Argyria
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Argyria or argyrosis is a condition caused by excessive exposure to chemical compounds of the element
silver Silver is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag () and atomic number 47. A soft, whitish-gray, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. ...
, or silver dust. The most dramatic symptom of argyria is that the
skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different ...
turns
blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB color model, RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB color model, RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between Violet (color), violet and cyan on the optical spe ...
or blue-gray, and is usually most prominent in sun-exposed areas of the skin. It may take the form of ''generalized argyria'' or ''local argyria''. Generalized argyria affects large areas over much of the visible surface of the body. Local argyria shows in limited regions of the body, such as patches of skin, parts of the
mucous membrane A mucous membrane or mucosa is a membrane that lines various cavities in the body of an organism and covers the surface of internal organs. It consists of one or more layers of epithelial cells overlying a layer of loose connective tissue. It ...
, or the
conjunctiva In the anatomy of the eye, the conjunctiva (: conjunctivae) is a thin mucous membrane that lines the inside of the eyelids and covers the sclera (the white of the eye). It is composed of non-keratinized, stratified squamous epithelium with gobl ...
. The terms ''argyria'' and ''argyrosis'' have long been used interchangeably, with ''argyria'' being used more frequently. ''Argyrosis'' has been used particularly in referring to argyria of the conjunctiva, but the usage has never been consistent and cannot be relied on except where it has been explicitly specified. The term is from the (, 'silver').


Pathophysiology

In humans and other animals, chronic intake of silver products commonly leads to the gradual accumulation of silver compounds in various parts of the body. As in
analog photography Film photography or classical photography, also known by the retronym analog photography, is a term usually applied to photography that uses chemical processes to capture an image, typically on paper, film or a hard plate. These processes were ...
(where silver is used for its sensitivity to light), exposure of pale or colorless silver compounds to sunlight decomposes them to silver metal or
silver sulfide Silver sulfide is an inorganic compound with the formula . A dense black solid, it is the only sulfide of silver. It is useful as a photosensitizer in photography. It constitutes the tarnish that forms over time on silverware and other silver ob ...
s. Commonly these products deposit as microscopic particles in the skin, in effect a dark pigment. This condition is known as argyria or argyrosis. Chronic intake also may lead to silver pigments depositing in other organs exposed to light, particularly the
eyes An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system. In higher organisms, the ey ...
. In the conjunctiva this is not generally harmful, but it also may affect the lens, leading to serious effects. Localized argyria often results from
topical A topical medication is a medication that is applied to a particular place on or in the body. Most often topical medication means application to body surfaces such as the skin or mucous membranes to treat ailments via a large range of classes ...
use of substances containing silver, such as some kinds of
eye drop Eye drops or eyedrops are liquid drops applied directly to the surface of the eye usually in small amounts such as a single drop or a few drops. Eye drops usually contain saline to match the salinity of the eye. Drops containing only saline ...
s. Generalized argyria results from chronically swallowing or inhaling silver compounds, either for home medicinal purposes or as a result of working with silver or silver compounds. While silver is potentially toxic to humans at high doses, the risk of serious harm from low doses, given over a short term, is small. Silver is used in some medical appliances because of its anti-microbial nature, which stems from the oligodynamic effect. Chronic ingestion or inhalation of silver preparations (especially colloidal silver) can lead to argyria in the skin and other organs. This is not life-threatening but is considered by most to be cosmetically undesirable. The
reference dose A reference dose is the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) maximum acceptable oral Dose (biochemistry), dose of a toxic substance, "below which no adverse noncancer health effects should result from a lifetime of exposure". Refer ...
, published by the
United States Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent agency of the United States government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it began operation on De ...
in 1991, which represents the estimated daily exposure that is unlikely to incur an appreciable risk of deleterious effects during a lifetime, is 5 μg/(kg·d). Argyria worsens and builds up as exposure to silver continues, and does not resolve once exposure stops because the silver atoms cannot be removed from the skin and other tissues.


History

Since at least the mid-19th century, doctors have known that silver or silver compounds can cause some areas of the skin and other body tissues to turn grey or blue-gray. Argyria occurs in people who ingest or inhale silver in large quantities over a long period (several months to many years). People who work in factories that manufacture silver products can also breathe in silver or its compounds. In the past, some of these workers have become argyric. However, the level of silver in the air and the length of exposure that caused argyria in these workers is not known. Historically, colloidal silver, a
liquid Liquid is a state of matter with a definite volume but no fixed shape. Liquids adapt to the shape of their container and are nearly incompressible, maintaining their volume even under pressure. The density of a liquid is usually close to th ...
suspension of
microscopic The microscopic scale () is the scale of objects and events smaller than those that can easily be seen by the naked eye, requiring a lens or microscope to see them clearly. In physics, the microscopic scale is sometimes regarded as the scale betwe ...
silver particles, was also used as an internal medication to treat a variety of diseases. In the 1940s, they were overtaken by the use of pharmaceutical antibiotics, such as
penicillin Penicillins (P, PCN or PEN) are a group of beta-lactam antibiotic, β-lactam antibiotics originally obtained from ''Penicillium'' Mold (fungus), moulds, principally ''Penicillium chrysogenum, P. chrysogenum'' and ''Penicillium rubens, P. ru ...
.


Society and culture

A prominent case involving the ingestion of colloidal silver was that of American Stan Jones, a
Libertarian Libertarianism (from ; or from ) is a political philosophy that holds freedom, personal sovereignty, and liberty as primary values. Many libertarians believe that the concept of freedom is in accord with the Non-Aggression Principle, according ...
candidate for the
United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...
in 2002 and 2006. The peculiar coloration of his skin was featured prominently in media coverage of his unsuccessful campaign, though his supporters contended that the best-known photo was "doctored". Jones promised that he was not using his silvery complexion as a gimmick. His purposeful consumption of colloidal silver was a self-prescribed measure undertaken in response to fears that the Y2K problem would make antibiotics unavailable, an event that did not occur. He is reported to have said that given the chance to go back, he would do it again. He maintains that his good health, except for the unusual skin tone, is the result of his use of colloidal silver. In 2007, press reports described Paul Karason, an American man whose skin gradually turned
blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB color model, RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB color model, RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between Violet (color), violet and cyan on the optical spe ...
after he took a homemade
silver chloride Silver chloride is an inorganic chemical compound with the chemical formula Ag Cl. This white crystalline solid is well known for its low solubility in water and its sensitivity to light. Upon illumination or heating, silver chloride converts ...
colloid and used a silver salve on his face in an attempt to treat problems with his
sinuses Paranasal sinuses are a group of four paired air-filled spaces that surround the nasal cavity. The maxillary sinuses are located under the eyes; the frontal sinuses are above the eyes; the ethmoidal sinuses are between the eyes and the sphenoi ...
,
dermatitis Dermatitis is a term used for different types of skin inflammation, typically characterized by itchiness, redness and a rash. In cases of short duration, there may be small blisters, while in long-term cases the skin may become thickened ...
, acid reflux and other issues. At the time of the reports, Karason maintained his belief in silver's effectiveness and continued to take it, albeit in smaller doses. He died in 2013 of a
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...
; "a cause of death was not immediately known", but according to Jo Anna Karason, his estranged wife, "Paul Karason had suffered heart problems for years. He was a heavy smoker, despite undergoing triple bypass surgery about five years ago". Rosemary Jacobs is a prominent activist against
alternative medicine Alternative medicine refers to practices that aim to achieve the healing effects of conventional medicine, but that typically lack biological plausibility, testability, repeatability, or supporting evidence of effectiveness. Such practices are ...
. As a child, Jacobs was treated for allergies with nose drops that contained colloidal silver and developed argyria as a result. Jacobs came to international attention after Paul Karason was on '' The Today Show'' in 2008. From 2010 to 2013, Jacobs posted about topics in health fraud, particularly
naturopathy Naturopathy, or naturopathic medicine, is a form of alternative medicine. A wide array of practices branded as "natural", "non-invasive", or promoting "self-healing" are employed by its practitioners, who are known as naturopaths. Difficult ...
, on her blog.


Possible implications

Although research is still not definitive, the literature has suggested that argyria can cause a decrement in
kidney In humans, the kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped blood-filtering organ (anatomy), organs that are a multilobar, multipapillary form of mammalian kidneys, usually without signs of external lobulation. They are located on the left and rig ...
function. Additionally, a lack of
night vision Night vision is the ability to see in low-light conditions, either naturally with scotopic vision or through a night-vision device. Night vision requires both sufficient spectral range and sufficient intensity range. Humans have poor night v ...
may be present.


See also

* Amalgam tattoo * * * * , another condition known for causing blue skin coloration


References


External links

*
"Rosemary's Story."
Rosemary Jacobs explains her argyria; includes photographs. Accessed February 24, 2007.

by Akhil Wadhera, MD and Max Fung, MD. ''Dermatology Journal Online.'' Accessed February 24, 1997.
"Blue Man Seeks Acceptance"
about another victim of argyria due to colloidal silver.
"Man Turns Blue"
by Duncan Hooper, telegraph.co.uk, Dec. 21, 2007.
"This Man Turned Blue (video)"
NBC Today Show,
Matt Lauer Matthew Todd Lauer (; born December 30, 1957) is a former American television news personality, best known for his work with NBC News. After serving as a local news personality in New York City on WNBC, his first national exposure was as the ne ...
interview, aired January 7, 2008.
Chemistry behind the 'blue man' unlocked"
by Josh Howgego,
Chemistry World ''Chemistry World'' is a monthly chemistry news magazine published by the Royal Society of Chemistry. The magazine addresses current events in the world of chemistry including research, international business news and government policy as it affe ...
, 1 November 2012. {{Pigmentation disorders Disturbances of human pigmentation Silver Toxic effects of metals